Bracelet-clasp



mmm W.. E. WILLIS.

' BRACELET CLASP.

No. 331,664. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.v

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UNITED STATES Partnr Ottica.

'WARREN E. VILLIS, OF NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, ASSIGN OR TO THOMAS TOTTEN & OO., OF ATTLEBOROGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRACELET-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,664, dated December l, 1885.

Application filed June l2, 1885, ySerial Xo. 168,501. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

' Beit known that I, WARREN E. WrLLis, of Xorth Attleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bracelet- Clasps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to bracelets; and its object is to provide a convenient clasp or fastening device for the free end of the bracelet, whereby this end may be securely connected to the center-piece, and whereby, also, it may be adj usted to enlarge or diminish the diameter of the bracelet.

The details of construction are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view with the face-plate removed. Fig. 2 is a section on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view on line m of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 shows an end view of the head or center piece and of the rack-bar. Fig. 6 shows the locking-plate or rack bar detached. Fig. 7 is a detail view oi' the sliding or carriage plate.

These drawings show a band, A,which may be of any ordinary construction. One end is permanently connected to a center-piece, B, any way ornamentcd, and containing the locking devices. The under and upper plates of the piece are fixed, and the sides are slotted, as shown at a b. VVit-hin, a carriage, c, slides longitudinally, being provided with pins d, which project through the slots and carry heads l. The pins are attached to slides 2, which move in a guideway, f, arranged directly across the carriage. The carriage is simply a plate, in width equal to the interior lateral dimensions of the center-piece, and long enough to give steadiness as it slides back and forth. Centrally lengthwise of the center-piece, in the upper part of its chamber, is a spring rack-bar. It is formed out of sheet metal punched and struck up in the shape shown, with arms 8 8 at each end and bar 3 across the central part. The bars are slightly bent down on one side to allow them to slip over the catch one way and to arrest the catch when it moves the other. The ends of the arms S are bent upward slightly to bear against the under surface of the upper plate to give elasticity to the ends of the spring rack-bar, the central part depending also on'its own elasticity. This spring rackbar is slid into the chamber in the centerpiece, and is held in place by the carriage, the sides, and the ends of the chamber when closed. The inner ends of the slides 2 are inclined and extend under the edge ofthe rackbar on each side, and when these slides are pushed inward bypressure on the pins the inclined ends, advancing under the rack-bar, raise it. In thus raising it they lift it clean of the catch 5, which is xed to the central post of the carriage, and projects upward in range with the bars of the spring rack-bar. Then the slides are not raising the rack-bar, the catch engages with the lower edge of one of the bars which is on the side away from the end of the carriage which is attached to the free end of the bracelet-band. This holds the band when it is attached to the carriage so that it cannot bedrawn out, except when the slides are pushed in by pressure on the pins. The pins also serve for moving the carriage by pressure longitudinal of the center-piece. As there are several cross-bars in the rack, it will be obvious that the band, when attached to the slide, may be drawn in more or less.

The attachment of the slide to the band is novel also. The end of the carriage-plate has a transverse round rod or bead,K,which,when the carriage is slid forward to its extreme limit, projects from the chamber. The free end of the band has a transverse tube fixed to it, with a slot equal to the thickness of the carriage-plate. rlihe tube may be slipped laterally over the rod, and when the carriage is drawn back and the tube is drawn Within the chamber the tube is held against lateral movement, and thus the attachment ofthe free end to the plate is completed by the drawing in of the carriage. It may be locked at the bar nearest the entrance or at any one more remote, according to the dimensions required of the bracelet.

The carriage-plate will slide to draw in the free end of the band without inward pressure on the pins, but will not pass in the other direction unless the pins are pressed in. No

IOO

other movable parts eXceptI the carriage and slides are required, and the Whole center-piece is made of xed parts.

I claim as my inventionl. A center-piece of a bracelet composed of iiXed parts having a cavity or chamber and slotted sides, combined with a sliding carriage combined with lateral moving slides and pins projecting through the slotted sides for operating the locking devices, and also combined With a bracelet-band permanently connected to the center-piece at one end, and detachably connected to the slide at the other end, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a center-piece of a bracelet, having a sliding carriage, and means for moving and locking said carriage-plate, a slotted tube on the free end of the braceletband, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with the center-piece of a bracelet, a central longitudinal spring rackbar, a longitudinally-sliding carriage having a stop-catch and laterally-moving pins, 'and slides adapted to raise the bar from the catch, all substantially as described,

4. The spring rack-bar formed with springarms at the ends, and adapted to the chamber, the carriage, and the locking mechanism, all substantially as described.

5. In combination with the spring rack-bar of the center-piece chamber, the carriage having slides moving laterally against a spring, and adapted to at their ends raise the springbar from the catch, all substantially as described.

6. In combination with the center-piece ofa bracelet, a longitudinally-arranged rack-bar, a carriage sliding longitudinally in the chamber of the center-piece, With a catch on the carriage adapted to be released by springing the rack-bar therefrom, and mechanism on the carriage for springing off the said bar, all substantially as described.

7. In combination with the center-piece of a bracelet, a longitudinally-arranged rack-bar, a carriage sliding longitudinally in the chamber ofthe center-piece, with a catch on the carriage adapted to the rack-bar, mechanism for releasing the catch from thebar,and an attachment for connecting the carriage with free end of the band completed by drawingin the carriage, all substantially as described.

In testimony WhereofI have signed my name to this specification in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

VABREN E. WILLIS.

Vitnesses:

J. E. POND, Jr.,

C. L. SHUMWAY. 

